Supporting Research

Research and Academic Reading

Although it is evident that I have a clear passion and love for second-hand items, I really wanted to broaden my knowledge i

n terms of consumer drives for second-hand items. I have attached some really interesting academic readings which highlights the reasons for the growth and the demand of second-hand shopping.

The main findings from the readings suggest that environmental factors have influenced consumers. As consumers, we are open to marketing and information on a day to day basis through our social media account. This can act as a great way to educate people on fast- fashion and the impact that throwaway fashion is having on the world. Furthermore, second-hand shopping is slowly becoming the new norm for many young people. During the 1980's buying second-hand items was often something that people with little money did who could not afford much. Therefore, a stigma was often attached to charity shops that they were 'smelly', 'rough' or for 'old people'. However, these outdated stereotypes are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Instead, the youth of today are considered fashionable and cool to buy 'vintage' clothing.

Please see below of supporting academic documents:

Study into consumer second-hand shopping.

Download • 5.04MB

second hand shops.pdf

Download PDF • 19.83MB

second hand drives.pdf

Download PDF • 1.14MB

Stacey Dooley Investigates: Blood Sweat and T-shirts

This BBC Three documentary investigated by Stacey Dooley in 2008, investigated what life and work is like in India for garment workers who spend their days making clothes which are destined for sale in British high-street stores. According to Stacey Dooley (2008), many factories hired young children under the age of 10 years old, to save money on wages and produce more products in as little time as humanly possible. Workers wages were between £1.50 to £2.00 a day, depending on the job. For instance, many children were expected to iron 50 shirts an hour or spend 12 hours a day buttoning up shirts. This kind of meagre wage of on average £1.75 a day is just about enough money to cover food and clothing costs for themselves and their families. The process of buying clothes in the UK from high street and fast fashion shops may come at a cheap price for us, however, thousands of children in India and other countries are working tirelessly to fulfil our demands for quick and affordable clothing which we can use once and discard. This documentary highlights the significance and the value that second-hand shops and charity shops can have on consumers. With enough clothes on the planet to dress the next 6 generations (Grant, 2020), there really is no better time to buy nearly new clothes and refrain from buying garments that we fail to consider where they have come from and who made them.

I Broke Up with Fast Fashion and You Should too- Gabriella Smith TEDx Talks

This TEDx Talks video investigates the environmental impacts that buying fast fashion to keep up with trends can have on the planet. Smith (2019), devised a ‘take, make, waste’ model to summarise the fashion industry. This suggests that we take from our environment without little hesitation, we make our clothes with little regard for the factory workers who make them and then, as the clothes hold little value, we wear them once or twice and then simply dispose of them. According to Smith (2019), individuals find it difficult to put into perspective how their relationship and love of fast fashion affects the environment. Statistics including 2,700 litres of water are used to created just one T-shirt (Smith, 2019), are a great tool to essentially shock consumers and realise the damage and the effect of fast fashion. Social media and other marketing campaigns mean that we are constantly exposed to fast fashion companies encouraging us to buy more and buy new with little care for the human and environmental effects this may have. However, many consumers are unsure how and where to shop ethically, while still wanting fashionable garments. Smith (2019), aims to educate design students to understand where garments are made and where the fabric comes from. There is a clear focus on the social, environmental, cultural and economic of garments. Therefore, Smith (2019) sources unconventional material from second-hand bed sheets, fabric remnants or dead stock from designers in order to educate students to create garments that people would want to buy. This TEDx Talks video highlights the idea that fast fashion clothing is nothing more than a new style and a good price. Consumers enjoy the thrill of buying an affordable top to wear once to a party, despite having something very similar already that has been worn just once or twice. Everybody is guilty to claim, “I have nothing to wear”, with a whole wardrobe full of suitable clothing options. However, we are conditioned to believe new is always better, which is not necessarily the case.